Holiday decor & Lowell style

Weihnachten Tour features historic sites

Kate York

News Editor

kyork@mariettatimes.com

Each of the five homes on the Weihnachten Tour of Homes in Lowell has at least 100 years of history.

And for the holiday-themed tour, they will have decorations that include seven to eight Christmas trees in some of the homes, old-fashioned German decorations, Santa’s workshop and more.

“We decorate like wild people anyway,” said participant Judy Weber. “It will be nice to share and it’s important to support the pool. This is an easy way to do that.”

All of the proceeds from the first-time event will go toward the community pool on Lowell’s Buell Island.

“Lowell has a very low tax base and the pool is 50 years old this year,” said tour participant Gary Pitt. “It was Judy’s idea to do something to support the swimming pool and for the youth because village money is always so tight. Every penny will be earmarked for the pool.”

A $10 admission fee will give those on the tour access to the following homes: 156 State St. on Buell Island, home of Chris and Sharon Bagley; 101 Franklin St., home of Clarence and Judy Skinner; 222 Third St., home of Rick and Nancy Schultheis; 233 Third St., home of Steve and Judy Weber; 402 Fifth St., home of Gary Pitt. Tickets are available at any of the homes and the tour runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday.

The youngest home on the tour is that of Lowell Mayor Steve Weber and his wife, Judy, said Pitt, and it was built in 1915.

“They’re all older homes,” he said. “The Bagley home was on the Underground Railroad and they’ll have information about that.”

Pitt said ticket holders can expect to see plenty of original woodwork in the homes, along with stained glass windows in the Weber home, original double tiered mantels in the Schultheis home and bay windows in the Skinner home. There will be a Santa’s workshop theme at the Bagley house, including a visit from Santa.

“The Schultheis house also has the most beautiful staircase entry,” Pitt said. “There’s just a lot to see.”

Judy Weber said their decorations are mostly classic Victorian, with seven Christmas trees.

“Steve did all seven trees and it probably took four or five days to do all the decorating,” she said. “We do it every year. We both love Christmas.”

Pitt said he has eight trees up, including several tabletop trees, and that he and the Webers both have extensive collections of old German collectibles including kugel ornaments and paper tops.

“We have some of the ornaments with tinsel and some that were hand-blown,” he said.

During the tour, Pitt will serve light refreshments in his carriage house.

“We’ve had the tour featured on our village Facebook page and we’ve created a lot of excitement,” he said. “It’s so rewarding to know that people are interested in seeing the homes at Christmas time and supporting the cause.”